Appliqué Delights Class Plan

by Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins
Piece O' Cake Designs

NOTES TO INSTRUCTORS & SHOP OWNERS
Create any block in a variety of sizes!

We're sure you've noticed that the blocks in the book are printed at *5" x 5"
(*IMPORTANT: See errata at bottom of page). They may look tiny, but these blocks are meant to be enlarged to any size. Increasing block size to eight or ten inches - or larger! - makes them easy enough for a beginner to make.

All you need to create a pattern for a larger block is a photocopier - and we've even done the math for you. For example:

  • If you want to make a 6" finished block . . . photocopy at 120%
  • If you want to make a 7" finished block . . . photocopy at 140%
  • If you want to make a 8" finished block . . . photocopy at 160%
  • If you want to make a 9" finished block . . . photocopy at 180%
  • If you want to make a 10" finished block . . photocopy at 200%

Want to make an even larger block? See the easy step-by-step instructions on page 5 to make bocks up to 20" square.

You can make the projects that are in this book or use these blocks in other settings. We hope that you will find this book to be a wonderful resource for appliqué blocks.

There are many classes that can be taught from this book. We chose the following three because they give you the opportunity to teach a nice variety of hand appliqué techniques. When we teach, we concentrate on specific hand appliqué techniques. We assume that our students know how to set their blocks together and finish their quilts. However, you know your students best. You may want to add those quilt making techniques to the classes listed below. You will need to add class time as well.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Class #1: Spring Spectacular (6-hour Class)
Class #2: Color and Stitch A Medallion Vase (2-day Class)
Class #3: Butterfly Garden (6-hour Class)

STUDENT SUPPLY LIST

  • Required Textbook: Appliqué Delights: 100 Irresistible Blocks from Piece O' Cake Designs by Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins
  • Small, sharp paper scissors
  • Small, sharp fabric scissors
  • An ultra fine point Sharpie marker
  • Clear, medium weight upholstery vinyl cut the size of the finished block. Keep the tissue paper that comes with the upholstery vinyl.
  • One sheet of clear, heavy-weight, self-adhesive laminate for templates. Buy the single sided sheets, not laminating pouches.
  • appliqué needles
  • 1/2" sequin pins
  • 100% Cotton Thread to match your appliqué fabrics (DMC 50 weight machine embroidery thread, Mettler 60 weight machine embroidery thread, and YLI Soft Touch 60 weight thread are all good choices.)
  • White Chalk Pencil (General's - charcoal white) to mark darker fabrics
  • An Ultimate Mechanical Pencil for Quilters (.05 lead) to mark lighter fabrics
  • A sandpaper board (Bring a sheet of fine grain sandpaper if you don't have a board.)
  • A baggie for your templates
  • Optional - A lamp and an extension cord in case the room is dark

INSTRUCTOR SUPPLY LIST
Some students arrive at class without all of their supplies. Your class will go more smoothly if you have these items. If you supply laminate and vinyl, know how much you are going to charge your students for these items in advance.

If you are teaching a pattern that needs to be enlarged, it is better to make the enlarged copies for your students. This ensures that everyone has what she needs. However, each student must buy a copy of the book before you can give them copies of the block for class.

  • Masking tape
  • Extra laminate sheets
  • Extra upholstery vinyl
  • Extra ultra fine point Sharpie markers
  • Extra white chalk pencils
  • A pencil sharpener
  • Fine Grain Sandpaper

We always give our students a packet with a couple of the needles that we prefer, a few 1/2" pins to try, and a round wooden toothpick to use in turning points and curves. That way we know that everybody starts out with the key tools for appliqué. We bring several spools of appliqué thread in a variety of colors. Students can then see what a difference good thread makes.


Class #1: Spring Spectacular - Block #48 (6-hour Class)
The emphasis of this beginning/intermediate class is to teach the basics of hand appliqué while working on block #48. You will work on a variety of hand appliqué techniques while perfecting your invisible stitch.

Class sample: If you don't have time to make the whole quilt, make block #48 in the 8" x 8" size. Add a 1" finished size sashing and a 2" finished border.

Prepare the pattern for class: Enlarge the 5" x 5" block pattern to 8" x 8" for each student (instructions on page 5). Make enough copies of the enlarged block for each student to use to make templates (pages 83-84).

FABRIC
Background fabric: Cut 1 square 10" x 10" for the background.
Bring scraps of fabric for the appliqué.

IN THE CLASSROOM

  • Make templates (page 83-84).
  • Make the positioning overlay (page 85).
  • Teach the invisible appliqué stitch as you work on the different shapes (refer to The Appliqué Sampler). Students are particularly interested in:
    • Cutaway appliqué on the stem (page 88)
    • Outer points on a leaf (The Appliqué Sampler, page 35)
    • Inner and outer points on the sunflower (The Appliqué Sampler, page 35)
    • Circles on the sunflower (page 89)

Class #2: Color and Stitch A Medallion Vase - Block #44 (2-day Class)
This 18" is the centerpiece of the Scrap Bag Surprise quilt and is surprisingly interesting to "color. " The vase of flowers sits on a tabletop. There are lots of flowers, leaves, and stems.

"Color" the block on the first day of class. (Students select fabrics, cut them out, and audition them on the design wall until satisfied.) Students then work on needleturn hand appliqué stitching techniques on the second day.

NOTE: If you don't like to schedule multiple day classes you can choose to teach either "coloring" or stitching in one 6-hour class.

Class sample: Make Block 48 in the 18" x 18" size. Add a 1" finished size sashing as described in the quilt pattern. If you have time, add the piecing that falls around the center medallion as shown on page 74.

On Day 1, help your students "color" their blocks. Encourage them to cut the appliqué pieces out and get them up on the design wall! This is the most important - and the hardest part - of teaching color.

On Day 2, teach the invisible appliqué stitch as you work on the different shapes (refer to The Appliqué Sampler).

Prepare the pattern for class: Enlarge the 5" x 5" block pattern to 18" x 18" for each student (instructions on page 5). Make enough copies of the enlarged block for each student to use to make templates (pages 83-84).

FABRIC
Background fabric: 20" x 16 1/4"
Tablecloth fabric: 20" x 4 1/4"
Bring scraps of fabric for the appliqué.

IN THE CLASSROOM

  • Make templates (page 83-84).
  • Make the positioning overlay (page 85).
  • Teach your students how to color the block. We talk about how we choose our fabric in The Appliqué Sampler, pages 8-12.
  • Teach the invisible appliqué stitch as you work on the different shapes (refer to The Appliqué Sampler). Students are particularly interested in:
    • Cutaway appliqué on a stem (page 88)
    • Outer points on a leaf (The Appliqué Sampler, page 35)
    • 2-part leaf (The Appliqué Sampler, page 41)
    • Circles on a flower (page 89)
    • Reverse appliqué on the vase (page 88-89)
    • Off-the-block construction on flower #11 (page 89-90)

Class #3: Butterfly Garden - Blocks #79 and #36 (6-hour Class)
The emphasis of this beginning/intermediate class is to teach the basics of hand appliqué while working on this very cute little quilt! Perfect your invisible stitch while learning cutaway appliqué, inner and outer points, and curves.

Class sample: The Butterfly Garden is a fast quilt to make and it is very eye-catching. It is worth the effort to make the quilt as shown on page 63. If you don't have time to make that many blocks, make 4 butterfly blocks and adjust the checkerboard and tulip borders to fit.

Prepare the pattern for class: Make enough copies of the blocks for each student to use to make templates (pages 83-84).

Prepare a drawing of the border as described on page 64 so that you can show your students how to make their own after class.

FABRIC
Background fabric: Cut 1 square 7" x 7" for the butterfly block background.
Border background fabric: Cut 1 rectangle 7" x 27" for the butterfly block background.
Bring scraps of fabric for the appliqué.

IN THE CLASSROOM

  • Make templates (page 83-84).
  • Make the positioning overlay for the butterfly block (page 85).
  • To save class time, have your students draw only the center tulip on the border overlay vinyl. They can complete drawing the border overlay after class.
  • Teach the invisible appliqué stitch as you work on the different shapes (refer to The Appliqué Sampler). Students are particularly interested in:
    • Cutaway appliqué on the tulip stem or butterfly body (page 88)
    • Inner and outer points on the tulip (refer to The Appliqué Sampler, page 35)
    • Curves on the butterfly wings (page 89)

For more information about Appliqué Delights, contact C&T Publishing at 800-284-1114 or www.ctpub.com.

* Due to a printing error, the blocks in the first printing of this book are 4 1/4" x 4 1/4", not 5" x 5" as listed.
To use the 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" blocks as instructed in the text, enlarge them 118% to create 5" x 5" blocks and proceed with the printed instructions.
Once you enlarge your desired blocks to 5" x 5", the additional enlargement instructions on page 5 and project yardage calculations and instructions are correct. Some projects use blocks larger than 5" x 5"; follow the project's enlargement instructions with the 5" x 5" blocks.